Donate

Volunteer

Membership

Statement on Public Financing of Trans Mountain Expansion

Alberta Liberal Leader David Khan has released the following statement on using taxpayers’ dollars to finance the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion:

"We are warning Premier Notley not to tap the Heritage Fund for $8 billion to purchase the Pipeline as she has said her government could do.

This would be akin to using your child’s college fund to pay for a big new truck.

The Heritage Fund is sacrosanct to Albertans and was created to safeguard our financial future.

At the very least Albertans should be consulted by this NDP Government before even considering such a significant decision.

The NDP Government should also cancel misguided “diversification” proposals, such as the $1 Billion in corporate welfare they have proposed for partial upgraders, and instead use that money for the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project, if a form of public financing is absolutely necessary.

We are also demanding the Federal Government make an investment in this project to ensure they have skin in the game and mitigate Alberta’s financial risk.

l support conditional public debt financing of this infrastructure project because it is in the national interest and will broadly benefit not only Canada’s energy industry, but all Albertans.

However, Alberta should not be simply writing a blank cheque to Kinder Morgan for the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project.

Our support is also contingent on the NDP Government committing to full-cost accounting reports annually on Alberta’s oil sands region, including reclamation liabilities and greenhouse gas emissions.

This is an issue of national importance. This is a national infrastructure project that will create jobs for Albertans and Canadians. But we must be careful to ensure any public investment is the best possible deal for all Albertans, now and in the future."